Box-filling machine



JJC. DONNELLY. BOX FILLING MACHINE-v APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5.1919.

I Patented Aug. 2,1921.

3 sums-sum 1.

J. C. DONNELLY.

BOX FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5.1919.

Patented Aug: 2, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2v V/)///////////XI" J. C. DONNELLY.

BOX FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5.1919.

1,336,243. Patented Aug. 2, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

] UNITED; m res ew oral-cs- :rosnrn c. DQNNELLY, or nnnnnn'ron, on o, ssreavon so THE DIAMOND M TCH COMPANY, or onrcneo, ILLINOIS, A. conronnrronl 10s rumors,

BOX FILLING MACHINE.

Originalapplication-filed May 7, 1918,L Seria1TNo. 233,081.

cation filed June 5, 1919. Seria1 No. 301;981.

ToaZZ whom itmag/concern.

Beit known that I, JOSEPH C; DONNELLY, a citizenef the United States, and resident of Barberton, inthe county of'Summit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Box-Filling Machinesof which the-following is a specilication.

The subject of the present application, which is av division of'myapplication for Patent No. 1,326,-187, dated December th, 1.919,, concernscertain improvements in and relating to machines for filling the.t-ray-andshucl: form of'box commonly employed for holding. matches.

The present invention "comprises mechanism whereby complementary trays and shucks aredeliveredin an orderly manner from separate sources of supply and are properly positioned in; endwise relation to each other preparatory'to the operation of filling the trays and entering them within their. associated. shucks, which mechanism, in the preferred formcf embodiment, of my invention, willbe hereinafter described in detail, and the scope of the invention then be defined in the appended-claims.

Inthe drawings Figure l is a plan of a portion of the trayand shuck; receivingv end of a box-fillingmachine embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a. side elevation of the same, partlyv in section.

Fig. 3.is a longitudinal vertical section throng-l the lower portion of the tray-feeding chute and adjuncts; the tray transfer wheelbeing. in elevation, and thereceiving endof therbox carrierbeing in section.

.Fig. 4 isa partial side elevation of the lowerportion of thetra-y-feeding chute and adjuncts, inclug'ling the transfer wheel, the tray-releasing.device controlled thereby, and the receiving-ench of the box carrier. I

Fin; 5 isa partial transverse vertical sectionthrpugh theboxcarrier'and adjuncts, I

looking toward the tray and shuck feeding devices, the guard for. the tray transfer wheel being broken away, and the shuck feeding hopper beingpomitted' for clearncss.

6 isa transverse section through the cliu 'e a djuncts, as on the line 66 Specification'of Letters latent.

' Patented A11 2, 1921.

Patent No. 1,326,187. Divided and'this appliof. 4; showingthe relative positions-of the adjacent portions .of the temporary match holders and the box carrier.

' Fig. Tisan elevation of the deliveryend ofgthe-tray-feeding chute, and its adjuncts, including: the ntray transfer-wheel; a tray, partly in section, being-shown asgengaged by the wheel.

Fig. Sis. a sectional elevationofthe frictional-drivegear, andadjunets, for the tray transfer wheel. v

Fig. 9 isa perspective View of spaced tray-supporting-.fingers at the delivery end of the, tray chute, together with spring stop device for a tray; such. tray being shown as positioned on the fingers.

' Referring, to the drawings, 29"designates aportion of an endless chain of temporary match holders arranged to travel :adjacent' thesmatch carrier ofv a match machine and to receive andassemble the matches discharged therefrom. This chain is guided about a pair of suitably-disposed sprocket wheels at the respective ends'of' the machine, the shafts of which wheels are supportedima' horizontal tableior bed-32. The sprocket wheel, 31, andits shaft, 34-, at the tray and shuck receiving-end; of the machine are shown. This shaft is stationary and its wheel is mounted to turn freely thereon; but theshaft having fastthereon the sprocket wheel (not shown) atthe oppo- "te end of the machine is. geared with and driven from a. shaft 37 to which ,motion is transmitted from a suitable source of power.

3.9 designates aportionof aboX-carrier comprising an endless chain of links provided with boX receptacles which correspond in number-and relation with the temporary match-holders. and are arranged to travel adjacent to and at the same speed as said which the box -carrier passes at the tra nd shuck receiving end of the machine. The

shaft 46 of the wheel 4-5 is providedvrith a geanwheell'? in mesh with a similar wheel {1-8 fast on a short, lOllglllllCll Dtlll Y-CllSPOSQd The parts above mentioned being of known construction and operation need not be hereln more partlcularly descrlbed.

The mechanism for supplylng trays and shucks in an orderlyv manner to the boxcar:

rler, comprises two magazines 82, 83 for trays and shucks respectively.

The tray magazine 82 includes in its construction vertical chute having at itslower end a curved portion 84: which leads toward and terminates immediately in advance of the tray bearing portion of the box carrier as the latter approaches its. upper horizontal path at the receiving end of the machine.

The chute is supportedbya suitable bracket 85 on themain frame. The trays are delivered side by side to the upper end of the chute, and fed down the same, such trays being gradually turned to a position with their bottoms downward as they pass along the curved lower portion of the chute and being thus advanced consecutively to and beyond the delivery endof the chute preparatory to their transference to the succeeding holders of the box carrier. Projecting horizontally from the floor'of the chute at its delivery end are two spaced fingers 86 upon which .the succeeding leading trays are temporarily supported as they leave the chute.

Between the fingers, adjacent their outer ,ends, is a yielding rip-standing stop against whichlthe outer end of the leading tray contacts, which stop, in the present instance comprises an rip-standing teat 87 formed on the free end of a spring which is affixed to a suitably-disposed lug on the bracket 85.

(See Figs. 3, 4, 7. and 9.)

A feed wheel 88 overhangs the receiving end of the box carrier and acts upon the succeeding trays on the supporting lingers 86 so as to transfer such trays consecutively to the tray-supporting portions ofsaid carrier. This wheel is fast on one end'of a horizontal shaft 89 having its hearings in brackets 90 rising from the bed32. (See Figs. 1 and 5.) On the opposite end of the shaft 89 is mounted a pinion 90 in mesh with a spur wheel 91 on the shaft 46 which carries the driving sprocket wheel 45 for the box carrier. The pinion is frictionally held on the shaft 89 by means, for example, of

movement of the feed wheel is temporarily retarded, as hereinafter described, in which j. U 'The'wheel 'is provided with a series of peripheral projections'92" which are regularly spaced apart and are so disposed in. relation to thetrays as to impinge successively against the inner walls of the consecutive trays on: the supporting fingers 86 at the delivery end of the chute with suflicient forceto depress the spring 87. The wheel is provided, adjacent the respective projections, with inserts 94," preferably of hard metal, which are arranged to'contact successively with theoppos'ing walls 4:3'of the box holder. As each insert contacts with a wall 43 the movementofthe rapidly rotating wheel is temporarily retarded to accord with that of the box carrier, but when the box holder advances sufficiently to per unit the escape of the insert'the wheel is rapidly advanced until the next succeeding insert contacts with the following wall of the holder. During the quick movement of the wheel the tray is rapidly moved to position for delivery'to the box carrier. The acting portion of each of the projections is rounded and made smooth, as at 93, so that when a tray is pushed above the carrier by such portion, the tray may freely fall between the walls-l3 of the underlying box holder. The inserts 94E obviate any liability of the portions 98 contacting with the walls 48 and thus becoming rough or abraded.

In order to prevent the endwise displacement of each succeeding tray at the delivery end of the chute, preparatory to its engage ment'by a wheel projection 93, I provide a light latch lever which is pivoted to a bracket 95 on a forward lateral extension of i the lower end of the chute. The longer arm 96 of the lever is provided with a depending lip 97 which normally lies within the 1 leading box in close relation to the inner wall of the latter. The other arm 98'of the leverextends into the path 'of a series of tappet studs 99 'onone side of the wheel, which studs correspond in. number and 115 spaced relation with the projections 92, whereby during the rotation of the wheel the studs successively impinge against the arm and thus actuate the lever to effect and permit'the alternate raising and lowering of the lip from and into the underlying tray respectively; When the lip is engaged with the inner wall of the leading tray, such lip co-acts with the yielding stop 87 to hold the tray in place. When the lip is raised a wheel projection enters the tray and advanccs it as previously explained.

The shuck magazine 83 (Figs. 1 and 2) includes in its construction a vertical chute having at its lower end a curved portion 100 which leads toward andv terminates immediately above the shuck; bearing portion of the box carrier as .the latterapproaches its upper horizontal path: at the receiving end of. the machine. The-chute is supported at. itSwlOWGl end,between apair :of spaced webs101. formed on abracket 102 which is affixed to :the. bed. Successive shucks, with their narrow sides in contact with each other,.aredeliveredto the upper endofthe chute S3 andifed down the same, suchshucks, similarly to. the trays, being gradually turned to a horizontal position as they pass along-the curved lowerportion of the-chute and being thus advanced consecutively to the delivery end Ofithe. chute where they fall, by gravity, into their respective holders on'the boxcarrier. r s V The topof the lower curved portion of therhute 83 is preferably constituted by -a sector 103 which is pivoted. betweenthe webs 101,'as indicated at 10:4 Fig. 2, so that .said sectorcan be readily-swung upward in order to secure access 'to the lower. part of the chute. orwtheshucks therein, as occasion may require.

'In order that theifeeding of the shucks and trays to the box carrier can be simultaneously discontinued at will without the otherwise necessity of=stopping the operation of the main machine, mechanism of the following character is provided, reference being had to Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, of'the drawings:

105 designates a dog comprising a strip of spring metalaffixed at its upper endto a vertical chute cover plate 106 supported on the bracket 85. The lower end of the strip has an inturned lip 107. which extends through an opening 108 in the adjacent wall of the chute and, by'actuatio'n of the strip, ismovable into and from the vertical path of the trays in the chute. The inherent elasticity oft the-strip maintains the latter nor.- mally retracted from thc'trays, as seen in Fig. 3. The body of the strip is bent outward as at 109, into the active path of a cam 110, which is formed on the upper end of an arm 111 rising from a longitudinally slidable shifter rod 112 extending transversely offhe machine. By actuating this red the cam 110 can be moved against the strip so as 'to force the latter toward the chute and move the lip 107 into the path of the trays within the chute, and thus check their descent. a

A. horizontally disposed plunger 113 (Figs. 1 and 2) is movable into andfrom one side of the shuck chute, through an orifice in the latter, so as to contact with-or release the shuck opposed theretowithin the chute. This plunger is guided within a casing 11-1 fast on the perforated wall of the chute, and isnormally. held 'inretracted position by means of a confined spring 115 position of-the rod.

which,cencircling the plunger, bears against a collar 116 on the latter-gandagainst' the opposing-wall of the-chute. The outer end of the. plunger extends-into the active path Ofr-w cam, block 117. fast ,on-the rod 112. This cam-isso shap-ed-and positioned relativelyto the cam 110, that when the'rod is shifted, as above mentioned,,the cam 117 bears against the end of the plunger at the same time the cam 110 contacts with the -strip;105, thus'checking; the progress of the machine holds therod normally in; a position withithel cams110, 117 retracted from the-,dogand/plunger respectively; one corner of1the cam117 being notched, as at 119,, souasto bear agai'nstthe proximate corner of the chute 82 -and,thus liinit-the. retracted (See Figs. 1 and 2)- 120 (Figs. 1 and 2) designates a portion 0f an.end-1ess.chaimwhiChleads to and effects the operation of certain mechanisms for supplying the trays and shucks in an orderly manner to the upper. or-receiving endsof their. respectivechutes; but as such mechanisms form no part of thepresent invention it is unnecessary to Show or describe them herein. Suffice itto say that the operation of the chain lS/COl'ltPOllGd simultaneously with 'that of-the devices above described for checkingand releasing'the trays and shucks' within the respective chutes; such chain control being effected by operatively connecting one endof the shifter rod 112 with an upstanding lever'121 which is constructed and arranged to determine by its actuation the active and idle positions of a' clutch: 122 for a chain drivingwheel 123.

This wheel and its-clutchare mounted on a shaft 1241bearinga pinion 125 in mesh with the gear wheel 9.15 on the-shaft 46 previously 1'15 described.

'Itis: to vbeunderstood that my invention isanotlimited .to the specific construction hereindisclosed, asthe same may be modified withln-theprinclpleof myinvention and 120 the, scope of: the appendedrlaims.

.1. The-combination with. a carrier having-a succession of: tray holders comprising spacedrtransverse walls,.and meansfor im- 2 pelling the carrier, of a tray-feeding element terminatingzina tray; receiving and supporting member adjacent the pathof'the walls ofisaid'holders, yielding stop with which the .=1eading trayssuccessively contact when they are delivered to-said member, a rotary feed wheel overhanging the carrier and having spaced projections whichcontact with the inner walls ofr'the successive trays on the said member andalso with the succeeding walls of the tray 'holders',-:and impositive driving means for actuating said wheel at a normally higher speed than the carrier. V a

2. The combination with a carrier having a succession of tray holders comprising spaced transverse walls, and means for impelling the carrier, of a tray-feeding element terminating in a tray receiving and supporting member adjacent the path of the walls of said holders, a yieldingstop with which the leading trays successively contact when they are delivered to said member, a lever having a stop portion which enters said trays in succession, a rotary feed wheel overhanging the carrier and having spaced projections which contact with the inner walls of the successive trays on the said member and also with the succeeding walls of the tray "holders, tappet studs on the wheel co-acting with said lever, and impositive driving means for actuating said wheel at a normally higherspeed than the carrier. j j

3. The combination with a carrier having a succession of tray holders comprising spaced transverse walls, and means for impelling the carrier, of a tray-feeding element terminating in a tray receiving and supporting member adjacent the path of the walls of said holders, a yielding stop with which the leading trays successively contact when they are imposed on said member, a rotary feed wheel overhanging the carrier and having spaced projections which contact with the inner walls of the successive trays on the said member,-said projections including protective inserts which contact withthe succeeding walls of the carrier,and impositive means for actuating said wheel at a normally higher speed than the carrier.

4. The combination with a carrier having a succession of receptacles for trays, of a tray chute havinga curved delivery portion leading toward the receiving portion of the carrier and terminating in spaced tray receiving and supporting fingers in proximity to the path of the carrier, a downwardly yielding stop with which the forward lower edges of the leading trays successively contact when they are delivered to said fingers,

a rotary feed wheel overhanging the carrier and the fingers and having spaced projections which contact with the inner walls of the successive trays on the said fingers and transfer said trays to the adjacent receptacles of the carrier, and means for actuating said wheel.

5. The combination with a carrier having a successlon of receptacles for trays, of a tray chutehaving a curved delivery portion leading toward the receivingportion of the carrier' and terminating inqspaceoltray receiving andsupporting lingers in proximity {to the path of the carrier, a yielding stop with which the trayssuccesslvely contact when they are. imposed on said fingers, a

lever having a stop portion which enterssaid trays in succession, a rotary feed wheel overhanging the carrier and having spaced projections which contact withthe inner walls of the successive trays on the said fingers and transfer said trays tothe adjacent receptacles of the carrier, tappet studs on the wheel co-acting with the said lever, and

means for actuating said wheel.

6. The-combination iwith a carrier having a succession of tray holders, and means for impellingsaid carrier, of a tray-chute having a curved delivery portion leading to the receiving portion ofthe carrier and ter- I adjacent tray holders of the carrier, said projections including protective inserts which contact with the walls of the succeeding tray holders, and impositive driving means for actuating said wheel at a normally higher speed than the carrier.

7; The combination with a traveling carrier, of a chute-for feeding trays successively thereto, and la'chute for feeding shucks-to said carrier, of a stop member movable into the body of the tray chute, a stop member movable into the body of the shuck chute, and manually operable means for concerte dly operating said stop members independently of the carrier, whereby the feeding of the trays and shucks in the respectivechutes can be simultaneously discontinued independently of the operation ofthe carrier.

8. The combination with a carrier having a succession: of tray holders comprising spaced transverse walls, and means for impelling the carrier, of means for feeding trays successively adjacent the receivingend of the carrier, a'rotary feed-wheel overhangingthe receiving end of the carrier and having spaced projections which contact with the inner walls of the succeeding leading trays and also with the succeeding walls of the tray holders, and impositiv-e driving means for actuating said wheel at a normally higher speed than the carrier.

9. The combination with a carrier having a succession of tray holders comprising spaced transverse walls, and means. for impelling the carrier, of a tray-chute having a curved delivery portion leading toward the receiving end of the carrier, a rotary feedwheel overhanging the receiving end of the carrier and having spaced projections which contact with the inner walls of the succeeding leading trays'and also with the succeeding walls of the tray holders, and impositive JOSEPH C. DONNELLY. 

